AFRICAN EMPIRES

INTRODUCTION
Board Game for 3-6 players. 
Theme: Rise and fall of various Native Empires in Western and 
Sub-Saharan Africa circa 1100-1700 AD. 

VICTORY
The game ends when one or more players have accumulated over 100 Victory Tokens. 
The winner is the player with the most Victory Tokens (VT). 
If players are tied, use possession of the Kings Marker going clockwise as the tiebreaker.

COMPONENTS
Kingdom Mats
Africa Deck
Victory Tokens
Player Control Counter Sets 
Chits
Kings Marker

KINGDOM MATS
Each one of these oversize cards represents one historic African Empire. 
Each simply has the name of the Empire written on it. 
(An image representative of that Empire would be appropriate) 

AFRICA DECK
This is a common deck. 
Card Types include: 
Government, Economy, Religion, Migrants, Disasters

VICTORY TOKENS
These come in Denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25. 

PLAYER CONTROL COUNTER SETS
Each player gets a set of a unique color. 

CHITS
These come in 4 types: 
Government, Economy, Religion, Disasters
The Government, Economy, and Religion chits are Resource Chits.  
Disasters are not Resource chits. 

KINGS MARKER
This should be a small sculpture with an African theme/origin. 
The current holder of the marker goes first in play phase. 

SETUP
Shuffle the Africa Deck. 
Keep Tokens and Chits handy. 
Randomly select X Kingdom Mats. X = the number of Players. 
Place these Mats face up in the middle of the Table. 
Each player picks a Control Counter Set. 
One player at random is given the Kings Marker. 

TURN SEQUENCE
Each turn has 6 Phases: 
1. Draw Phase
2. First Play Phase
3. Second Play Phase
4. Event Phase
5. Score Phase
6. End Phase

DRAW PHASE
Each player is dealt 3 random cards from the top of the Africa deck. 
If the deck ever runs out, shuffle the discard and draw from it. 

FIRST PLAY PHASE
Each player takes a turn starting with the holder of the 
Kings Marker and then going clockwise. 
One your turn play (reveal) one of your cards and have it target one of 
the available Kingdom Mats. 
Place one of your control counters on the target Mat. 
Place a chit on the Mat corresponding to the type of card you played. 
(Example: If an Economy card is played, place an Economy Chit) 
(Note: that Migrant cards produce no Chit) 
Discard the Card. 

COLLAPSE RULE
When a fifth Disaster chit is placed on a Kingdom, the Kingdom is 
destroyed. Discard it and all Chits and Counters on it. 
Immediately draw another random Kingdom Mat to replace it. 

SECOND PLAY PHASE
Each player takes a turn starting with the holder of the 
Kings Marker and then going clockwise. 
One your turn play (reveal) one of your cards and have it target one of 
the available Kingdom Mats. 
Place one of your control counters on the target Mat. 
Place a chit on the Mat corresponding to the type of card you played. 
(Note that Migrant cards produce no Chit) 
Discard the Card. 

MELDS & RESOURCES
A Meld is all the resource chits of one type on a target Kingdom Mat. 
For instance if there were 3 Government Chits on Yoruba the 
Government Meld of Yoruba would be 3. 
Remember that Disasters do not count as resources. 

EVENT PHASE
Each player takes a turn starting with the holder of the 
Kings Marker and then going clockwise. 
On your turn play (reveal) your remaining Africa card: 
If you play a Government Card, move a Resource chit from one Kingdom Mat to another. 
If you play a Migrant Card, move a Control Marker from one Kingdom Mat to another. 
If you play a Disaster Card, discard a Resource chit from one Kingdom Mat. 
If you play a Religion Card, gain 2 Victory Tokens. 
If you play an Economy Card, place 1 Resource Chit of any type onto one Kingdom Mat. 
Discard the Africa Cards. 

SCORE PHASE
Score each Kingdom Mat in turn. 
The player with the most control counters on the Mat gets a number of Victory Tokens 
equal to the largest Meld on the Mat. 
The player with the second most control counters on the Mat gets a number of Victory Tokens 
equal to the second largest Meld on the Mat.  (or zero if there is not a second meld) 
The player with the third most control counters on the Mat gets a number of Victory Tokens 
equal to the smallest Meld on the Mat.  (or zero if there is not a third meld) 
If players are tied for Control Counters, use possession of the Kings Marker going 
clockwise as the tiebreaker. 
Each Player keeps their accumulated Victory Tokens in a pile in front of them. 

END PHASE
Check for Victory Conditions. 
The current holder of the Kings Marker passes it to the player to his left. 

KINGDOM MAT LIST
Yoruba
Ghana
Bornu
Kanem
Songhai
Mali
Makuria
Ethiopia
Wolof
Axum
Benin
Oyo



AFRICA DECK CARD LIST NOTATION
G = Government
E = Economy
R = Religion
M = Migrant
D = Disaster

AFRICA DECK CARD LIST
Name:				Type:
Dominance			G
Hegemony       			G
Medieval Empire			G
Dynasty				G
Monarchy       			G
Capitol City			G
Association of Small States	G
Vassal States Submission       	G
Great King			G
Secret Societies       		G
Council of Elders		G
Royal Bloodline			G
Institutions			G
Great Assembly			G
Hierarchy			G
Caste System			G
Nobility       			G
Queen Mother			G
Complex Political System       	G
Autocratic Government		G
Strong Army			G
City-States			G
Divine Kings			G
Ruling Establishment		G
Literacy in Administration	G
Peak of Expansion		G
Energetic Reign			G
Diplomatic Exchanges		G
Period of Conquest		G
Clan Loyalties			G
Annexations			G
Governors & Provinces		G
Consolidation			G
Treaties       			G
Code of Law			G
Checks & Balances		G
Administrative Reforms		G
Sworn Allegiance       		G
Political Marriages		G
Fortifications			G
Orisa Pantheon of Gods		R
Central Creator Deity		R
Tombs				R
Center of Learning		R
Timbuktu       			R
Legends				R
Myths				R
Traditional Beliefs		R
Prophecies			R
Priests				R
Oracles				R
Great Magician			R
Oral Tradition			R
Griot Poet Bards		R
Customs				R
Religious Tolerance		R
Cults				R
Suicide Rites			R
Mosques				R
Muslim Scholars			R
Divination			R
Earth Mother			R
Devout Muslims			R
Ceremonies			R
Celebrations			R
Traditional Musicians		R
Ritual				R
Rich Culture			R
Artistic Achievement		R
Eunuchs				R
Sculpture			R
Christianity			R
Muslim Clerics			R
Animism				R
Ancestor Worship       		R
Islamic Expansion		R
Destiny				R
Sacrifices			R
Islamization			R
Pilgrimages			R
Slave Trade			E
Black Gold			E
Muslim Merchants       		E
Cattle, Sheep, Goats		E
Livestock			E
Markets				E
Salt Trade			E
Caravans       			E
Manufacturing			E
Copper & Tin Mines		E
Gold Fields			E
Gold Dust			E
Trans-Saharan Trade		E
Center of Trade			E
Major River			E
Commerce       			E
Urbanization			E
Industry       			E
Walled Towns			E
Large Cities			E
Rich Material Culture		E
Iron Working			E
Duties				E
Wells & Oases			E
Kola Nuts			E
Emporium       			E
Leather, Horses, Cloth		E
Ivory Trade			E
Moroccan Trade			E
Arts and Trades			E
Portuguese Traders		E
Villages and Farms		E
Access to Coastal Ports		E
Tribute Payments       		E
Taxmen				E
Imperial Revenue       		E
Great Wealth			E
Fertile Lands			E
North African Traders		E
Arab Traders			E
Treachery			D
Succession Dispute		D
Collapse       			D
Decline				D
Invasion       			D
Internal Feuds			D
Overextended			D
Military Rivalries		D
Armed Conflict			D
Rebellions			D
Revolts				D
Breakup				D
Vassals gain Independence	D
Constant Raids			D
Crumbling Empire       		D
Holy War			D
Seeds of Destruction		D
Forced to Move			D
Military Defeats       		D
Famine				D
Weakness       			D
Incursions			D
Bankruptcy			D
Severe Drought			D
Political Instability		D
Poor Leadership			D
Desiccation			D
Desertification			D
Jihad				D
Fragmentation			D
Warring Factions       		D
Civil War			D
Wars and Battles       		D
Dynastic Intrigues		D
Vulnerable			D
Fading Power			D
Disorganization			D
Disruption			D
Ethnic Groups			M
Tuareg Nomads			M
Fulani Herders			M
Zaghawa				M
Berbers				M
Hausa Peoples			M
Bedouins       			M
Shuwa Arabs			M





LINKS
Mali Empire  Wikipedia